Chicken, Broccoli, and Ziti

[onthego103]

My daughter's graduation party is on Memorial Day. We really can't afford to order out, so I am trying to do the cooking. I haven't been able to find a recipe that I like for chicken, broccoli and ziti. I don't like cream sauces or a butter sauce. In restaurants, I think the sauce I like is usually described as a wine sauce. I am looking for something with wine, garlic, olive oil, possibly butter, and some lemon. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[mrudman]

No clue how this one would taste, but doesn't sound too bad...

http://www.chicken.recipes-to-go.com/Speedy_Ziti___Chicken.html

 

[Malibelle]

I make Broccoli garlic Rigatoni all the time. Its very simple. I add chicken or shrimp sometimes too. Its a recipe I don't have written down or exact measurments. Hey, I am italian..lol

1 lb rigatoni or Ziti
Chicken cut up in chunks or shrimp
Fresh broccoli, ( about 2 med heads)
minced freshed garlic( about 2-3 tablespoons-Depends on how much garlic you like)
1 regular ( 16 oz, I thing) can of chicken broth ( only use 1/2 of can)
Olive oil ( 1/4 cup) + 3 tbls
couple pats of butter ( but you can leave this out if you wish)
Crushed red pepper if you like a kick of spice
grated parmasian cheese to taste

Fill pot and boil water for pasta. cook pasta for 10 minutes.

Saute the chicken on med heat in 1 tbls spoon of olive oil until brown and remove from pan. Place garlic with 3 tbls olive oil and saute. Add chicken broth and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, broccoli, chicken and crush pepper. Saute until broccoli is cooked. At end add cheese to taste. Place pasta in bowl and pour chicken and broccoli over top to serve.

 

[java]

I generally make that with just olive oil and garlic sauted add about 1/2 cup of white wine and then with a little FRESH lemon juice added at the last minute. I put cheese on the side- I have non- cheese eaters and mega cheese eaters so it makes everyone happy to do their own. It's really easy to make. And now I'm hungry for it.

 

[onthego103]

java~
do you saute the broccoli or cook it separately and add it in? do you add lemon juice to the sauce or the the fully prepared entree?
Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Malibelle]

You saute it in the olive oil/garlic and chicken broth.

 

[java]

java~
do you saute the broccoli or cook it separately and add it in? do you add lemon juice to the sauce or the the fully prepared entree?
Thanks for your suggestions!

I saute broccoli because we like it better that way.- I add the lemon after my wine has cooked off- you know when add the wine into the garlic and oil- it'll bubble and steam- when that stops I add in my lemon.

 

[semo233]

Sounds like chicken picata with broccoli is what you are looking for.

 

[savannahcat]

Right after I read this thread, I picked up my Taste of Home magazine, which has this recipe on the back (it uses spaghetti and butter, but you could sub ziti and olive oil):

6 oz. Havarti cheese, shredded
4 tbsp butter
1 lb. chicken breast, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
3 tbsp red chili pepper, coarsely chopped
3 small garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1 lb spaghetti

Melt 2 tbsp butter in skillet. Add chicken and brown. Remove from the pan. Melt the rest of the butter and add broccoli, chili pepper, and garlic; saute approx. 1 minute. Return chicken to the pan and season with salt. Fry for another minute. Cook pasta according the package directions and drain. Serve chicken and broccoli mixture on pasta and top with shredded cheese. Makes 6 servings.

 

[onthego103]

I improvised with everyone's suggestions and made a batch tonight. It was o.k. - not great. Any ideas for having the sauce be a little thicker rather than totally soupy? Add a little cornstarch maybe???

 

[java]

I improvised with everyone's suggestions and made a batch tonight. It was o.k. - not great. Any ideas for having the sauce be a little thicker rather than totally soupy? Add a little cornstarch maybe???

I wouldn't add cornstarch. Did you add the chicken stock? If so maybe try it without.

And are you thinking of that chicken picatta style one?? The creamy lemony sauce? ours never has broccoli in it but maybe that's the taste you are looking for? It would need butter and capers for that one

 

[sueh]

I make this one all the time.

Bertucci’s Rigatoni, Broccoli and Chicken with Cream or Wine Sauce
This is from one of my favorite restaurants out east- I like the cream sauce

Servings: 2

3/4 lb quality, Italian rigatoni
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts (4 oz each) boneless & skinless, cut into strips or thinly pounded
flour for dusting chicken
2 cups broccoli florets
1 tsp garlic, chopped
2 lemon slices
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or 1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot full of water to a rapid boil. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet.

Dust chicken with flour and cook until golden on both sides.

Add broccoli florets, garlic and lemon slices. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, heavy cream (or wine) and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Season to taste.

Add cooked and strained rigatoni to sauce, toss until well mixed and serve at once, reserving lemon slices as garnishes.

 

[onthego103]

sueh ~ Thanks for the Bertucci's recipe. I have been there and like the one with the wine sauce. I had decided maybe I needed to dust the chicken with flour before sauteeing it, and this recipe confirms it!

 

[brenalexacamp]

I dredge the chicken in flour 1st.

another good, easy dish is sausage, peppers, onions, and potatoes.
cut the sausage and everything else in bitesize pieces- put in a baking dish, little oil, salt and pepper and bake it-
if you use a hot sausage it gives the potatoes even more flavor- get nice nice crusty bread or rolls to put it on.

 

[xmlguy]

I improvised with everyone's suggestions and made a batch tonight. It was o.k. - not great. Any ideas for having the sauce be a little thicker rather than totally soupy? Add a little cornstarch maybe???

The wine contains water. Boil it off. Instant thickening. The flavor is concentrated. That's why it's called a reduction. Adding a cornstarch slurry thickens, but doesn't concentrate the flavor - in fact it dilutes the flavor. The wine is added not only for the flavor, but the water content is used to dissolve (deglaze) the fond (the browned meat goodness) on the pan. Browning the meat not only improves the visual appeal of it, but the browning is "free" flavor for the sauce. This is a fundamental part of french cooking technique. You can use a corn starch to thicken when you already have a concentrated flavor and only need thickening, otherwise reduce to thicken and concentrate at the same time.

A slurry is made with one part starch and two parts cold water/liquid, then some care is needed to add it to hot liquid without causing it to lump. This can be done by gradually adding a small amount of the hot liquid to the slurry to slowly bring it up to temperature while stirring, called tempering, before adding it to the main sauce. A roux is often better than a starch slurry, because the browning of the starch in oil/fat also adds flavor besides thickening.

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/sauces/index.html

 

[onthego103]

Thanks for everyone's input. I will be cooking the chicken. broccoli and ziti in large quantity on Sunday. It sounds like dredging the chicken in flour is the way to go.

xmlguy~You are clearly in a whole different realm than me in terms of your cooking knowledge! Thanks for sharing.

My first attempt at chicken, broccoli and ziti actually tasted better the day after I made it. That is encouraging because I will do the cooking the day before the party. And most importantly, it is supposed to be sunny and in the low 70's the day of the graduation party! We are having 150 people and they wont all fit in my house!!